Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-04-27

make the acquaintance OF the pig ana
hens. while Mrs. Flagg cleared up the
dishes, during which operation Captain
Flagg, between the whifs Of his pipe,
told her Tad'S simple story, and men.
toned the boys expressed desire to get
work Of some kind In the country.
"Why." exclaimed hrs. Flagg. With
enthusiasm in her voice and dish-towel
In her hand, snow II that dor't seem
providential like; Miss Smith ran DIP
to bring some yeast this morning. and
she was IN o peck of trouble Dan
Crosby-you remember Dan-he want
ed to 60 OF TO sea with you las sum-
merP"
The Captain animated by grunt
that he recollected the youth very veil.
"Well, Dan had been working there
for q year." the good lady went on.
land Miss Smith said she'd noticed he
was getting dretful sort of uppish
lately, and because she gave him .
talking to for smoking sweet-fern cigars
In bed, he told her he wasn't going to
be ordered round by no waman. II he
knowed hisself, so he up and left, and
she paying Of him two dollars q week
and board"
I'D given him something morn .
talking to-" remarked Captain Fagg,
emphatically, as he knocked the ashes
from his pipe and rose to hiS feet ~
guess, Mary Jane, he continued, reach
ing for his hat, "I'll Jest drift down to
Miss Smiths and see how the land lays
If she amt shipped any one, that's
the very place for Tad" With which
remark the Captain rolled out Of the
door and down the street on his benev-
olent errand. while Mrs. Fagg, having
finished clearing away the dinner
things, took up her knitting for the rest
Of the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Tad and Polly were wan
dering about the promises, followed by
Bounce, who, being q cAy-resred
puppy. seemed to find every thing as
delightfully."- novel and strange as did
Tad himself
II never thought the country was so
uACtJ i NE Will
sigh, as the two leaned over the garden
fence and looked down the wide quiet
street. An old-fashioned stage-coach,
drawn by three horses, was rumbling
along In the direction of the one hotel
locally called "tahvern," which
boastOd OF a room where General La
fayette had slept. Thrice week this
Antiquated vehicle made the journey
between Bixport and MiddlebOro-a
hourishing inland town, twenty miles
distant-with the mails and an occa-
Sional venturesome passenger. Farther
down, at the end of the thoroughfare,
the masts of the MARY j." outlined
themselves against the sky. and Q
glimpse of Bixport river, on its way to
the ocean, could be seen.
dispose you've lived here ever since
you were BORN" continued Tad, lit
tie wistfully. To have been reared in
a peaceful home like this. with the low
Ing care of parents continually about
one, seemed to homeless, orphaned
Tad the very highest happiness earth
could afford.
Polly opened her eyes very wide In
deed.
Why-don't you knOwP How fun
nyr' she exclaimed. turning wonder
ing face toward her companion.
AS Tap hadn't the slightest concep-
ton of her meaning. he shook his head
in silence.
"Of course, you don't, though"
said Polly, recollecting herself ''Come
with me-" she said. soberly, touching
Tad on tho arm; and. curious to know
her meaning, he followed Polly through
the gate, and across the street to what
was locally known as the meetin'-
house lot" Behind the little old
weather-beaten wooden church. on
either side of which stood a row of SOL
cmn-looking pOplars, was the village
burying-ground, into which, TO Tad's
great wonderment Polly silently led
the way.
A short distance from the entrance,
9 fat, moss grown tombstone was
raised upon two slight brick elevations
at either end, on which, in almost il
legiblo letters, were the wordsI
"Sacred TO the memory OF
DEBORAH sAYLEa
AGED "a
Killed by ye Indians
June ye e, A d. 173A"
Sitting down on the old stone as on
bench, Polly motioned Tad to a seat
beside her. Just in front of them stood
. plain white marble slab.
"Read it." briefly said Polly, In q
very low tone, as she pointed to the in-
scription.
Awed by Polly's manner, as well ms
by the solemn stiffness, only broken by
the breathing of the soft south wind
through the leafless branches overhead,
Tad read, in q subdued voice:
~'Here los
the body of q very beautiful
unknown lady-one OF the passengers
IN board the Inflated steamer "Pomerania"
which went ashore near the mouth
Of BiIport river, I'm the great gale Of February
~, 1859.
Seventy-one souls were losA
az Floating hair all tangled and torn
Beautiful head laid low on the sand
Pride all out OF the arching lips
Life all out OF the marble hands
oh terrible, restless, trembling sea
How could you leave her alone with deathf
Clasping her close in q cold embrace
And stealing away the last faint brcathr"
CHAPTER VII
"Mr. Allen, our minister. took that
verso from paper, and had 1t cut on
the stone-isn't it beautifully softly said
Polly.
"Yes, indeed" returned Tad, consid-
ersbiy bewildered, ''only don't see
what il has TO do with YOU"
wait! / am going to tell you all
about it." his companion responded.
But she sat for moment or two with.
out speaking. resting her chin In the